SERVICES

TDCS seeks to be an innovative Mental Health service that fits a small, rural, remote, and isolated community such as the Bonnechere Valley. Good mental health is an integral part of physical health. Gabor Matte (The Myth of Normal), a Canadian physician and therapist based in Vancouver, says that there is no space between the body and the mind. He refers to this as the “bodymind” when talking about our whole health. There is no separation between the body and the mind, and the body has as much influence on the mind as the mind has on the body. At TDCS we hold this as a primary principle when working with our clients.

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We also understand that this is just as important in the Bonnechere Valley as it is in a large urban centre. Being far away from urban centres in an underserviced and sparsely populated community, where employment is seasonal and poverty is always just a rainy summer away, creates stress, anxiety, depression, fear, and loneliness.

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The psychotherapists at TDCS are local people. Some grew up here, others have chosen to live here because of the peace and beauty of the landscape, the quietness, the stars at night, the lakes in the summer and the dynamics of our small communities. They believe that it is important to have a mental health clinic in the centre of the community, with a mental health flag outside to remind people of the importance of good mental health and to not have to travel great distances to access these services.

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We also believe that counselling and psychotherapy should be affordable. We believe that it should be part of the Medicare system and that our fees should be included in OHIP, but that is an unfulfilled dream right now. We have therefore developed a ‘fee for service’ model that allows important mental health services to be open to everyone. We offer a sliding range of fees to suit everyone’s income. Please do not be afraid to ask for more information. We also have a partnership with the Rotary Club of Eganville. The Rotary Club administers a charity fund which pays us for each client who cannot afford our services. These are often people who are supported by OW and ODSP, who work for minimum wage, or who do not have insurance or Employee Assistance Programs. The charity fund is maintained by donations from local businesses, private citizens, and community organizations.

 

Our therapists provide talk therapy. There are many different theories and models for how that happens. They go by all sorts of acronyms and names: CBT, Narrative, DBT, SE, psychoanalysis… That is not important. What is important is that they work. Talk therapy is a therapeutic conversation that therapist and client participate in. Through this conversation, a therapeutic relationship is developed with the outcome of mutual trust. We are not experts in any client’s life. The client is the expert. Client and therapist work together to uncover the client’s unique story, and it is in uncovering that story that wellness is often found.

 

Our minds often tell us false stories about who we are. Depression tells us that we should be sad and hopeless. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder whispers to us that we must keep collecting, or keep moving, or keep talking, even when it interferes with the quality of our life and relationships. Anxiety tells us we must always worry or be afraid. Other disorders cause us to destroy our friendships and relationships. Still others never allow us to feel safe. These are very thin stories about who we are and what makes us happy. Psychotherapy helps to thicken these stories about who we are. We are much more and have much deeper experiences than a mental health problem is willing to allow or a label that society might pin on us. Psychotherapists work with individuals to explore their experiences and to uncover unique experiences and ‘sparkling moments’ in people’s lives. This helps to change a sad or depressive story of one’s life into a positive affirmation of who they are and what we might be able to accomplish.

 

All our therapists have completed a master’s degree in counselling psychology and completed an 8-month clinical practicum here in the Bonnechere Valley. They continue to participate in continuing education events to widen their knowledge. They are registered in the College for Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario under the Registered Health Professions Act. Through their training they can work with individuals, couples, and families.